Is Eero Plus Worth It? The Complete Eero Plus Review

Eero networks provide useful features like WiFi scheduling, multi-admin capabilities, a smart home hub, and guest networks right out of the box. However, Eero extends the capabilities of its mesh routers even further with a subscription service called Eero Plus. But is Eero Plus worth it? Do you really need the subscription to get the most out of your Eero network?

What Exactly is Eero Plus?

Eero Plus is a subscription service that adds extra features and capabilities to your Eero mesh WiFi network. It used to be called Eero Secure Plus, but Eero simplified its naming convention.

Here’s a quick rundown of what you get with an Eero Plus subscription:

Enhanced Network Security – Advanced security features like threat blocking, ad blocking, and encrypted DNS queries to protect all connected devices.
Content Filtering – Filter inappropriate content and block specific websites. Great for parental controls.
Activity Insights – See how much time is spent on various apps and websites. Identify patterns in usage.
Weekly Reports – Get summaries of network activity so you can spot issues or trends.
VIP Support – Get priority access to Eero support representatives if you need help.
Internet Backup – If your primary internet goes down, automatically connect to a cellular hotspot for backup connectivity.
Malwarebytes License – Install malware protection on up to 3 devices.
Encrypt.me VPN – Protect devices when connecting to public WiFi hotspots.
1Password Family – Manage and share passwords securely.

Eero Plus provides powerful monitoring and security capabilities through a simple subscription service. But is it really necessary for the average household? Let’s take a closer look at the key features to find out.

Do You Need Eero Plus for Basic Eero Functionality?

The short answer is no – Eero Plus is not required to set up an Eero mesh system and take advantage of core functionality.

An Eero mesh WiFi system will work great right out of the box, no subscription necessary. Here are some of the great features you get with a standard Eero setup:

Seamless mesh WiFi coverage
Easy setup from the mobile app
Regular automatic software updates
Ability to create user profiles
Guest networking options
Alexa integration
HomeKit compatibility
Powerful parental controls like content filtering
Remote access when away from home

Eero Plus certainly adds some nice enhancements, especially on the security side. But you won’t be missing any core Eero mesh WiFi functionality without the subscription.

Many users happily run Eero systems for years without ever signing up for Eero Plus. Don’t feel like it’s required just to create a solid home mesh network.

Is Eero Plus Worth It for Advanced Security?

One of the main reasons to consider Eero Plus is for the extra security capabilities it provides. While the core Eero software has basic security features, Eero Plus takes things to the next level.

Here are some of the key enhanced security benefits you get with an Eero Plus subscription:

Threat Blocking – Eero Plus proactively blocks access to known malicious sites and IP addresses. This provides an additional layer of protection against viruses, malware, phishing scams, and other online threats.
Ad Blocking – Blocking ads sounds nice, but it also increases security by removing a major vector for malware. Eero Plus blocks ads network-wide to protect all connected devices.
Encrypted DNS – Eero Plus encrypts all DNS queries by default. This prevents DNS hijacking attempts and hides your browsing history from your internet provider.
Insight into Security Events – The weekly reports from Eero Plus let you see a summary of all security events on your network, like blocked threats. This visibility is useful for assessing risks.
Automatic Security Updates – Eero Plus subscribers get new security features and threat data as soon as they become available, keeping your network protection up to date.

For households that place a high priority on cybersecurity and online protection, Eero Plus seems well worth the $99 annual fee. The enhanced security capabilities will bring peace of mind.

However, Eero’s core security is already quite good. If you practice basic online safety habits on your devices, the standard Eero security features should suffice for most families.

Eero Plus for Parental Controls

Another key benefit of Eero Plus is enhancing the parental control capabilities of the mesh system. This is a major selling point for families with young kids.

Here are some of the ways Eero Plus improves parental supervision:

Granular Content Filtering – Eero Plus lets you block access to specific websites and categories. For example, you could block all social media and adult content for a child’s profile.
Time Limits – Set time limits for when a profile can access the internet. A bedtime internet shutoff is easy to configure.
Insights into Browsing Activity – The weekly reports from Eero Plus show you which sites and apps your kids visit most. Monitor their usage without spying over their shoulder.
Age-based Profile Restrictions – Eero Plus adds age as a criteria when setting up user profiles. Profiles for young children can automatically block inappropriate content.
HTTPS Traffic Filtering – Eero Plus can filter encrypted HTTPS traffic in addition to standard HTTP traffic. This prevents kids from circumventing restrictions.

Families with several young children will find the extra parental control capabilities extremely useful. However, Eero already includes solid parental controls for basic filtering, scheduling, and access restrictions. Eero Plus simply enhances them further.

If your kids are older and more responsible, the standard parental control tools may be adequate. But parents who really want to lock down and monitor their kids’ internet access will find Eero Plus worth the price.

Does Eero Plus Improve WiFi Performance?

Eero Plus does not provide any direct improvements to your WiFi speeds or mesh coverage. Performance depends on your internet provider speeds, Eero hardware capabilities, and environmental factors.

However, Eero Plus can provide some indirect performance benefits:

Fewer Bandwidth Hogs – By blocking ads and unnecessary background requests, Eero Plus reduces clutter on your network. This frees up bandwidth for the content and apps you actually want to use.
Prioritized Gaming Traffic – Eero Plus lets you prioritize latency-sensitive gaming traffic. This helps minimize lag by reducing competing network demands.
More Visibility into Issues – The network insights provided by Eero Plus help you identify connectivity problems and troubleshoot more effectively. Resolve problems faster.

Unless you have significant problems with crowded airwaves or network congestion, Eero Plus is unlikely to deliver a noticeable improvement in WiFi performance for most users. The standard Eero software does a great job on traffic shaping and bandwidth management already.

What Exactly Does the Eero Plus Subscription Provide?

Now that we’ve covered the major benefits of Eero Plus, let’s take a detailed look at everything included in the subscription service:

Enhanced Security Features

Threat blocking – Blocks access to known malicious IPs and domains
Ad blocking – Network-wide ad blocking to increase security
Encrypted DNS – Prevents DNS hijacking and hides browsing history
Weekly security reports – Summary of network threats and security events

Network Management Capabilities

Real-time network insights – See device usage, filter activity, alert notifications
Historical insights – Weekly summary of network usage patterns
ISP data usage – View monthly data usage for ISP allowance monitoring

Parental Control Tools

Age-based profiles – Setup child profiles with appropriate restrictions
Content filtering – Block categories like social media, adult content, etc.
Time limits – Set online time limits and schedules for profiles
HTTPS filtering – Block encrypted HTTPS traffic to prevent sneaky access

Convenience Features

Internet backup – Automatically connect to cellular hotspot if primary internet fails
Gaming prioritization – Prioritize gaming devices for lower latency
VIP support – Get priority access to Eero support reps when you need help

Third Party Software and Services

Malwarebytes – Install cybersecurity protection on up to 5 devices
Encrypt.me VPN – Encrypt connections and hide IP address on public networks
1Password Families – Share passwords securely with family members

As you can see, Eero Plus touches on security, network management, parental controls, and convenience. The additional software and services add even more overall value.

What is Eero Secure and How is it Different than Eero Plus?

Eero used to offer a subscription called Eero Secure before rolling it into Eero Plus. Some key differences:

Eero Secure was the basic paid subscription focused primarily on network security. It did not include the 1Password, Encrypt.me, and Malwarebytes software bundles.
Eero Secure+ was the higher tier subscription that bundled additional software services. This was rebranded and replaced by Eero Plus.
Eero Plus consolidates the features from Eero Secure and Eero Secure+ into a single subscription service.

Here is a comparison of what is included in each offering:

Feature	Eero Secure	Eero Secure+	Eero Plus
Ad Blocking	Yes	Yes	Yes
Threat Blocking	Yes	Yes	Yes
Encrypted DNS	Yes	Yes	Yes
Content Filtering	Yes	Yes	Yes
Time Limits	Yes	Yes	Yes
Network Insights	Yes	Yes	Yes
Weekly Reports	Yes	Yes	Yes
VIP Support	Yes	Yes	Yes
1Password Family	No	Yes	Yes
Malwarebytes	No	Yes	Yes
Encrypt.me VPN	No	Yes	Yes

Eero Plus incorporates all the best features from the two legacy subscription tiers into a single robust offering.

How Much Does Eero Plus Cost?

Eero Plus is priced at $99 per year or $9.99 per month. It covers your entire Eero home mesh network and all connected devices.

Here is how Eero Plus pricing compares to the older subscription models:

Eero Secure: $29.99 per year
Eero Secure+: $99 per year
Eero Plus: $99 per year

Check Eero Plus

Eero Plus continues the Eero Secure+ annual pricing. However, Eero has discontinued the cheaper Eero Secure tier and no longer offers a lower-priced option.

$99 per year is competitive but on the pricier side when compared to extensions for other mesh systems. For example, Google WiFi’s subscription for advanced features is $60 per year.

For families who will use and value all the features included, Eero Plus may be worth the higher price. But if you just want a few specific capabilities, it can seem pricey.

Can You Try Eero Plus for Free?

Eero does not currently offer a free trial for Eero Plus. You have to commit and pay for at least one month to try it out.

However, Eero Plus is discounted to just $2.99 per month if you pre-pay annually at $35.88. There are also sometimes seasonal sales and bundle deals that discount the price.

While a free trial would be nice, the annual pre-pay option provides a nice middle ground. You can get a low introductory price without committing for a full year up front.

What Do Users Like About Eero Plus?

Here are some of the most common positive comments from actual Eero Plus subscribers:

“The extra security features bring me peace of mind and are worth the price.”
“Being able to monitor my kids’ internet usage is a lifesaver for parental controls!”
“The subscription paid for itself by allowing me to cancel other redundant services and subscriptions.”
“I’ve noticed faster internet speeds and less buffering since blocking bandwidth-hogging ads.”
“The malware protection caught some infected downloads before they caused bigger issues.”
“It’s convenient to have VPN protection configured across all devices on my home network.”

In general, users appreciate the robust network security, advanced parental controls, and convenience of subscription software bundles. For families who will use the features heavily, Eero Plus provides good overall value.

What Do Users Dislike About Eero Plus?

No service is perfect, and Eero Plus has received some complaints from users:

“It’s too expensive for only a handful of useful features I actually need.”
“I didn’t notice any real improvement in speeds or connectivity after signing up.”
“The ad blocking is ineffective and I still see ads all over the place.”
“I don’t need more subscriptions bundled in – I just want the core network features.”
“Eero’s regular network security works fine already without paying more.”

Users who were happy with their existing Eero performance and security often don’t find enough value to justify the annual cost. The bundled software subscriptions also feel unnecessary if you already pay for similar services.

Eero Plus vs. Alternative Options

How does Eero Plus compare against other solutions for enhancing your home WiFi network? Let’s compare it to some popular alternatives.

Eero Plus vs. Circle Home Plus

Circle Home Plus is a third party parental control service focused on filtering content and managing kids’ usage.

Eero Plus	Circle Home Plus
$99 per year	$95 per year
Full network security and monitoring	Just parental controls
Mesh system integration	Works with any home router
Time limits, content filtering	Time limits, content filtering
Enhanced protections and insights	Limited network visibility

Circle Home Plus is comparable for parental control capabilities. But Eero Plus provides broader network security and management benefits.

Eero Plus vs. Norton 360 Deluxe

Norton 360 Deluxe is a robust cybersecurity suite for protecting devices.

Eero Plus	Norton 360 Deluxe
$99 per year	$99 per year
Network-wide protections	Per device installation required
No anti-virus or firewall	Full security suite with VPN
Simple eero integration	Works with any WiFi router
Some bundled services	Focused exclusively on security

Norton 360 is superior for hardcore device-level security. Eero Plus takes a broader whole-home network view.

Eero Plus vs. Netgear Armor

Netgear Armor is a security add-on for Netgear routers and mesh systems.

Eero Plus	Netgear Armor
$99 per year	$70 per year
Automatic threat blocking	Requires user prompting to block threats
Seamless eero integration	Designed for Netgear routers specifically
Ad blocking	No ad blocking features
Software bundles	No additional software bundles

Netgear Armor is cheaper but leaner on features. Eero Plus provides a smoother overall experience.

Eero Plus vs. DIY Tools like Pi-hole

Network admins can piece together their own subscription with DIY tools like Pi-hole for ad blocking and Bitdefender Home Scanner or ClamAV for anti-virus scanning. These tools require more effort to setup and manage versus the seamless experience of Eero Plus, but they provide greater customization and avoid monthly fees.

Eero Plus vs. Basic Eero

As discussed earlier, Eero Plus adds a suite of enhanced features on top of the standard Eero software. Eero’s core platform still provides excellent mesh WiFi performance, security, and manageability without requiring the Eero Plus subscription. Evaluate whether you really need the additional capabilities before subscribing.

The Verdict: Is Eero Plus Ultimately Worth the Cost?

There is no definitive yes or no answer to whether Eero Plus is “worth it” for everyone. It depends completely on your specific needs and priorities for your home network.

Here are a few closing recommendations on when to consider an Eero Plus subscription:

Consider Eero Plus if:

You have kids and want robust parental controls and visibility.
You highly value extra security and threat protection.
You were already paying for VPN, password manager, etc. individually.
You want the convenience of bundled services on a mesh system.

Skip Eero Plus if:

Your network security needs are basic.
You don’t need enhanced parental controls.
You don’t care about added bundles or subscriptions.
Every dollar counts and you’re satisfied with standard Eero software.

The Bottom Line

Eero Plus provides excellent additional value for the right households. Families with kids who have heavy network security and monitoring needs will find the most benefit. Users satisfied with core Eero software functionality can safely skip the upgrade. Evaluate your specific needs against the Eero Plus features and decide if it merits the $99 annual investment for your home environment.